The conventional handheld electronic device, such as a PDA, or a wireless telephone, includes a keyboard/keypad, a display and a system printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within a common housing. The display is typically provided as a reflective, transmissive or transreflective LCD display panel.
To limit power losses and the effects of noise on the system, the LCD display electronics must be disposed in close proximity to the LCD display panel. Accordingly, the LCD display electronics are provided on a flexible printed circuit board that is housed within a plastic or metal support frame with the LCD display panel. The frame is then fixedly attached to the PCB using known techniques and devices, such as permanent adhesive, clips, screws or snaps. Alternatively, the display panel may be loosely set in its final position on the PCB, when the housing is closed over the PCB and the display panel, internal elements in the housing press onto the display panel to keep it frictionally held against the PCB.
To prevent the display electronics from making contact with electronics and tracks on the PCB, the frame maintains a small gap between the display electronics on the PCB and the electronics on the PCB. However, this design increases the thickness of the electronic device. For instance, in the conventional handheld electronic device, a gap of approximately 1.5 mm is preferably maintained between the display electronics and the PCB electronics (1.2 mm for the height of the display electronics; and an additional 0.3 mm for the clearance between the display electronics and the PCB electronics).
In the case of a wireless-enabled electronic device, typically the antenna and RF electronics are disposed near the uppermost end of the electronic device to avoid attenuation of the RF signal by the user's hand as the user holds the device. Since this position for the RF electronics within the housing coincides with that of the display, the gap between the display electronics and the PCB electronics must be decreased This latter design further increases the need to reduce the gap between the LCD and PCB.
Therefore, there is a need for a configuration of components in a handheld electronic device that allows the thickness of the device to be reduced.